PR and Passports

            One of a PR professional’s greatest assets is a passport. It’s funny how the things you learn in class somehow come up in everyday life. In my Communication Theory course, the term Normative Public Relations came up. This means relating honestly to all groups of people. To relate to a diverse group of people, one must understand the cultures of different people. The best method to this is to immerse yourself in a culture different to your own. After doing this, you are able to utilize other ways of thinking, doing and living and apply it to your personal and professional life.

            I may be biased as someone who works in the Study Away office, but I believe one of the greatest assets of the School of Media and Communications are the Study Away opportunities. Not only can students take courses abroad or nationally within their own majors, but students are now gaining more opportunities to actually intern in these locations as well. The new and improved Global Internship opportunities include: Barcelona, Hong Kong, London, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco and Washington D.C. Each of these programs offers students a full time internship, internship coordinator, job coach and a course called International Communications in the Workplace.

            The national programs give students a taste of what it’s like to live and work in the city of their choice. The international programs give students a cultural experience in a foreign country, while learning the professional customs of the country as well. Personally, I am participating in the Barcelona Global Internship Program this summer. On top of my public relations concentration, I have picked up another concentration in international communications and a minor in Spanish. To go to a foreign setting and apply the professional skills I have learned is petrifying and exciting all at the same time.

            Employers, especially in a fast-paced field like PR, are looking for employees who are relatable and adaptable to various environments and situations. Interning in a different city or country gives those students an edge that others cannot compete with. When sitting in an interview with a potential employer, being able to tell them how you adapted and lived in a place not native to you can really prove your skill set.

            There is a quote by St. Augustine that always comes to mind, “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” I believe travelling the world, gives us the whole story: the story on people, places and life as we don’t already know it.

This guest blog post was written by PRowl Staff Member Brianna Prime.